Joint Commission Announces New and Revised Diagnostic Imaging Standards

Joint Commission to revise qualifications for imaging clinicians

The Joint Commission has approved standards changes for accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory care organizations that provide diagnostic imaging services, including ambulatory organizations that have achieved Advanced Diagnostic Imaging certification. The changes will be effective July 1, 2014, with additional requirements to be phased in by 2015. They relate to quality and safety issues that needed to be more fully addressed (given the evolution of healthcare delivery practices) or expand on current requirements, The Joint Commission  stated.  Because of the scope of this work, the Joint Commission is taking a phased approach to the standards changes. The first phase focuses on computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging services. The second phase of this work, to be implemented in 2015, will focus on fluoroscopy, cone beam CT, and minimum qualifications for clinicians who perform imaging exams. Source: The Joint Commission